Apparatus for pressing tubular garment elements



Nov. 21, 1939.

J. H. LEEF 2,180,940

APPARATUS FOR PRESSING TUBULAR GARMENT ELEMENTS Filed May 31. 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet I L 590011200 Job]; 12949/ B fill? AYiOM LE a Nov. 21, .1939. J. H. LEEF 2.180,940

APPARATUS FOR PRESSING TUBULAR GARMENT ELEMENTS Filed May 51, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Job]? If LJ By j zlf AiZW-a I V WWMFA Patented Nov. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES.

My present invention relates to apparatus for pressing tubular garment elements such as overalls or trouser legs and shirt sleeves, and generally stated consists in novel devices, combination of novel devices and arrangements of parts here inafter described and defined in the claims.

More specifically stated, the present invention is of the general type disclosed and claimed in prior art Patents 1,937,656 and 2,022,210, the former of which was issued jointly to myself and George H. Leef on December 5, 1933 and the latter of which was jointly issued to myself and said George H. Leef on November 26, 1935. More particularly the present invention is in the nature of an improvement on the garment pressing apparatus disclosed and claimed in plication S. N. 162,585 filed September 7,1937 and entitled Method of and apparatus for pressing tubular garment elements.

In the commercial form of the garment pressing device of the prior patents above identified and in the pending application referred to, each ironing device comprises a relatively fixed hollow boot and a relatively movable hollow boot; and in the structure of the pending application, as an important novel feature, a rotatable ridge rod or shaft is applied longitudinally of the exposed edge of the fixed boot for the purpose of rotatably shifting the garment leg or sleeve on the boots thereby giving a more complete ironing action. My present invention is directed to improved means for operating the rotatable ridge rod or shaft, and more particularily for simultaneously rotating both of the ridge rods of. two ironing devices located in such juxtaposition that both legs of a pair of trousers or both arms of a shirt may be simultaneously ironed.

The complete machine involved in the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughoutthe several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is the perspective showing the complete machine with some parts broken away and some parts in section; A

Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 but with some of the parts of the'machine broken away and showing shirt sleeves applied to the ironers;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig.2; and

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

The mechanisms shown in the present application for moving the relatively movable ironing boots 'in respect to their emu-operating fixed boots my pending ap-' PATENT OFFICE 1 APPARATUS. FOR PRESSING TUBULAR GARMENT ELEIVIENTS John H. Leef, Minneapolis, Minn. Application May 31, 1938, Serial No.-210,951 17 Claims. (01. 223-73) illustrated in this application are so closely like mechanisms for thesame purpose disclosed and claimed in my companion application, executed of even date with the present application, that the corresponding parts are hereinafter illus-;. trated by the same characters.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral Hi indicates a table top or frame on. which the ironing devices are mounted. Each ironing device involves a hollow fixed boot II and! a relatively movable boot [2. The boot II is rigidly anchored on the table top. A relatively movable boot i2 is connected to the co-operating boot II for movements toward and from the same preferably by a leaf-like link M, the lower end of which is pivoted to the base of the co-operating boot I l at l5 and the upper end of which is pivotally connected to the intermediate portion'of the movable boot l2 at "5.

In cross section the boots ll and I2 somewhat closelyapproach triangular form but with rounded outer sides in engagement with the garment. The fiat adjacent sides of the co-operating boots II and I2 have notthe same longitudinal curve or form, and the fiat surface of the movable boot-l2 has greaterlongitudinal curve than does the flat surface of the co-operating boot II.- This is to permitrocking movement of the boot l2 on pivot l6. even when the two boots are close together or in contact, and thereby better adapts the boots for complete contact with the garment leg or sleeve. -In Figs. 2 and 3, a shirt or garment sleeve is indicated by A but. it will, of course, be understood that thegarment legs might have'been shown. Intermediately pivoted on a cross rod or bar I! rigidly secured to the legs of the table I 0 is a foot pedal l8,- which as shown, comprises laterally spaced rigidly secured bars and a foot piece IS. The inner ends of the barsof thefoot pedal l8 are connected, one to each of the movable boots [2 and connecting rods 20.- Pivoted to the forwardly and outwardly projecting portion of the foot pedal I8 is a depending lock dog 26, the function and action of which is fully disclosed in my above referred'to companion application. I

Steam or hot air will be supplied to the interiors of the boots. As shown, heating medium is supplied to the fixed boots through fixed pipes 32 and to the movable boots through pipes 33. These particular pipes form no part of the present invention and hence may be further ignored.

.is provided with a semi-cylindrical longitudinal groove 35, see particularly Figs. 2 and 3. To give this ridge rod or roller traction on the garment leg or sleeve it is provided with a rough exterior surface such as produced by corrugations or' knurling. At its extreme upper end the roller 34 is provided with a trunnion or reduced portion that is journalled in overlying lug portion 36 of the boot, see particularly Fig. 1. At its lower end the roller 34 is provided with a reduced portion 34a that is extended through the base flange of the fixed boot and down through the top of the table H]. In this twin or duplex ironing device the ridge rods or rollers are applied to the fixed boots of both ironers and the depending portions 34a of said rollers or rods are provided with sprocket wheels 31 over which a sprocket chain 38 is arranged to run so that simultaneous rotary movements will be imparted to both the ridge rods or rollers. The said ridge rods or rollers are applied to the fixed boots rather than to the movable boots because of the impracticability or difficulty in applying them to the movable boots. Also, the sprocket and chain connects are afforded simple and eflicient means for connecting the two rollers for simultaneous rotation. A power device is preferably employed to impart the simultaneous movements of the ridge rods or rollers. This power device is shown in the form of a cylinder 39 in which is a pistons). The cylinder 39 here shown is provided at one end with a caplike head 4| and at its other end with a similar cap-like head 42. This piston 40 has a stem 43 that works through the head 4| and is provided with an upturned end that is rigidly attached to one of the links of the sprocket chain 34. A coil spring 44 placed around the piston rod 43 nor- [mally holds the piston 40 in the position shown in Fig. 4, and the stem 43 in a position shown in "Fig. 2. The piston 40 will be forced forward in the cylinder under the action of compressed air or steam supplied through a pipe 45 that is secured to and delivers through the head cap 42. The supply of compressed air or steam in pipe 45 and the discharge of the same therefrom is regulated by a three-way valve. This valve, as shown, involves a casing 46 and a segmental core 41, which latter at its projecting end, has an operating handle 48. Compressed air or steam is supplied to the valve casing 46 by pipe 49 which leads from a suitable source of compressed air or steam. The numeral 50 indicates an exhaust pipe that leads from the valve casing 46.

When the valve core 41 is set, as shown in Fig. 2, cylinder 39 at the'rear of piston 40, will be connected to the atmosphere, but when the valve core is turned about degrees in a clock-wise direction, cylinder 39 will be connected to the source of fluid pressure supply. When the cylinder 39 is open to atmosphere, spring 44 will restore the piston and hence the sprocket and chain connections to the position shown by full lines in Fig. 2. Under the above operations, the feed rollers 34 will simply be rotated backward. To impart the above step or steps of rotation to the feed rollers 34, it is not necessary to release the pressure of the shoes on the garment legs or sleeves. In fact, considerable pressure is necessary on the roughened feed rollers to give the traction necessary to impart the steps of rotation to the garment sleeves or legs.

By reference to Fig. 3 it will be noted that the outer surfaces of the feed rollers 34 complete the arch or curve of the shoes, but when a garment sleeve or leg is ironed by the first application of the ironing pressure, it will be ironed smooth except for that portion that spans the grooves 35, and when the garment sleeve or leg is given the second step, all that portion that was not completely ironed and that is in contact with the roller or spanning the gaps of the grooves 35 will be completely ironed against smooth surfaces of the shoes. Of course, the movement imparted tothe feed rollers should be suflicient to move the garment sleeve or leg the distance above indicated. This amount of movement may be determined by the length of the cylinder 39 and the piston rod. That end of the cylinder that includes the head 4 lshould be vented to atmosphere so as to permit return movement of the piston under the action of the spring 44: and this may be done by leaving clearance between the piston rod and the passage therefor in head 4|.

In the foregoing it will be understood that the device described is capable of modifications within the scope of the invention herein disclosed and claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In an ironing device, a base support, a pair of ironing devices each comprising a boot fixed to said base support and a cooperating relatively movable boot, said fixed boots having external longitudinal grooves, feed rollers located in said grooves and journalled in respect to said fixed shoes, said feed rollers having extended shafts connected for simultaneous rotation and manually controlled power means for simultaneously rotating said two shafts and the respective feed rollers.

' '2. In an ironing device, a base support, a pair 'of ironing devices each comprising a boot fixed to said base support and a cooperating relatively movable boot, said fixed boots having external longitudinal grooves, feed rollers located in said grooves and journalled in respect to said fixed shoes, said feed rollers having extended shafts equipped with sprockets, a sprocket chain running over said sprockets and connecting said feed rollers for simultaneous rotation, and means connected to said sprocket and chain for simultaneously rotating said rollers.

3. In an ironing device, a base support, a pair of ironing devices each comprising a boot fixed to said base support and a cooperating relatively movable boot, said fixed boots having external longitudinal grooves, feed rollers located in said grooves and journalled in respect to said fixed shoes, said feed rollers having extended shafts equipped with sprockets, a sprocket chain running over said sprockets and connecting said feed rollers for simultaneous rotation, a cylin der and piston power device the movable element of which is connected to said sprocket chain, and means for controlling the supply of motive fluid to and from the cylinder of said power device.

4. The structure defined in claim 3 in which said cylinder is fixed and the piston thereof is provided with an extended stem attached to one of the links of said sprocket chain.

5. The structure defined in claim 1 in which said feed. $91 315 have enlarged serrated surfaces exposed beyond the ironing surfaces of said fixed shoes.

6. In a device of the class described, a supporting structure, a laterally spaced pair of iron-. ing devices mounted on said supporting structure and adapted to have opposite tubular elements of a common garment telescopically applied thereover, each of said ironing devices comprising at least one heated pressing boot, and means for imparting common simultaneous rotary movement to tubular garment elements applied over the heated boots of opposite ironers.

7. In a device of the class described, a mounting structure, a closely associated laterally spaced parallel pair of forming and pressing devices mounted on the supporting structure, and each comprising a non-rotary heated pressing boot and a substantially parallel tubular garment element engaging roller, opposite of said devices being adapted to have difierent tubular elements of a common garment applied telescopically thereover, and power operated means for imparting common rotary movement to the rollers of opposite devices.

8. In a device of the class described, a mounting structure, a closely associated laterally spaced parallel pair of forming and pressing de- Vices mounted on the supporting structure, and each comprising a non-rotary heated pressing boot and a substantially parallel tubular garment element engaging roller, opposite of said devices being adapted to have different tubular elements of a common garment applied telescopically thereover, means for journaling said rollers, and means connecting said rollers for common rotation.

9. The structure defined in claim 8 in further combination with power operated means for operating said connected rollers.

10. In a device of the class described, a mounting structure, a closely associated laterally spaced parallel pair of forming and pressing devices mounted on the supporting structure, and each comprising a non-rotary heated pressingboot and a substantially parallel tubular garment element engaging roller, opposite of said devices being adapted to have diiierent tubular elements of a common garment applied telescopically thereover, means for journaling said rollers, a cylinder, a piston working in the cylinder and operatively connected in common to the said roller of opposite ironers, a source of fiuid pressure connected to the cylinder, and means for controlling the .supply of fluid pressure to the cylinder.

11. The structure defined in claim 10 in which the source of fluid pressure is connected to one end of the cylinder and in further combination with yielding means tending to move the piston toward the last noted end of the cylinder.

12. In a device of the class described, a mounting structure, a closely associated laterally spaced parallel pair of forming and pressing devices mounted on the supporting structure, and each comprising a non-rotary heated pressing boot and a substantially parallel tubular garment element engaging roller, opposite of said devices being adapted to have diiferent tubular elements of a common garment applied telescopically thereover, means for journaling said rollers, endless means operatively connecting the rollers of opposite ironing devices for common rotary movement, a pressure cylinder, a piston working in the pressure cylinder and having an extended stem directly connected to said endless means, and controlled means for introducing pressure into the pressure cylinder.

13. Inv an ironing device, a boot having a rotary feed roller extended longitudinally of the exposed surface thereof, and manually controlled power means for rotating said feed roller, and which said boot is provided with a longitudinal recess in which said feed roller is located with its outer portion substantially continuing the exposed ironing surface of said shoe.

14. In an ironing device, two ironers each involving an ironing boot provided in an exposed surface thereof with a longitudinally extended rotary feed roller, means connecting the feed rollers of said two ironing devices for simultaneous rotation, and manually controlled means operativeon said feed roller connections, and which said boots are provided with longitudinal recesses in which said feed rollers are mounted with their exposed surfaces substantially continuing the exposed ironing surfaces of said shoes.

,15. In a device of the kind described, a laterally spaced parallel pair of ironing devices each comprising a cooperating pair of laterally spaced pressing forms one of which is mounted for movement from and toward the other thereof, a rotatable element carried by one pressing form of each ironing device and substantially paralleling and being closely associated with the pressing surfaces thereof, means connecting the rotatable elements of opposite pressing formsfor common rotary movement, and manually controlled means for simultaneously operating said connected rotary elements of the opposite pressing forms.

16. In an ironing device, an elongated boot JOHN H. LEEF. 

